


Daily Paper

by Kona



Category: Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Anxiety Attacks, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Mentions of Death, PTSD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-06
Updated: 2014-06-06
Packaged: 2018-02-03 14:12:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 632
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1747496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kona/pseuds/Kona
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dick doesn't do well with newspaper articles about circuses.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Daily Paper

**Author's Note:**

> I posted this to tumblr a month or so ago, so I figured I'd post it here too.

Sometimes Babs watches as Dick flips through a newspaper as they sit in the Cave. On their rare days off they often find themselves hiding out away from Gotham in sunny Happy Harbor. Babs will tap a pencil against her textbook and lean back into the couch and watch as Dick sits there with his sunglasses resting on his forehead. It’s on one of these days that they happen to be alone in the Cave.

His eyes flicker from article to article and he flips through without really reading until the rustling of the pages stops suddenly and the crinkle of the edge of the copy paper is sharp in the air. A sharp inhale of air and Babs can feel Dick tense from half a foot away.

She turns to him and her eyes follow his path and she sees the article tucked away in the corner of the top left page. **Acrobatic Accident Occurs At Circus** -There was a haunted look in Dick’s eyes as he stares-not reading not digesting-and Babs’ heart clenches.

"Dick."

His grip on the paper lessens only slightly, enough for her to see the slight tremor in his hands, and he lowers the paper to his lap slowly. He sucks in shuddering breath and there is a moment where Babs isn’t sure if he is going to scream or cry before he collapses into himself.

The paper is ruined beneath his elbows as he brings his hand to his face. He curls his back and his breath hitches and he shakes. He trembles and Babs knows that he is years away. She abandons her textbook to place one hand on his neck and another on his back. Her fingers work at the nape of his neck, pressing gently into the tense muscles as her other hand sweeps circles across the shaking curve of his back. It is a few minutes before his frame stops shaking and his breathing returns to normal and he rises.

The article is obscured by splotches of tears and the paper is crumpled beyond saving. Dick looks at Babs, his face pale and eyes red. She stares back, bringing one of her hands to his cheek, her warmth hitting the cold of his skin.

"Babs."

He whispers her name as if it is an anchor. She presses her hand closer and she slips the paper from his lap to the floor. She reaches up and slides his sunglasses down over his eyes and watches as his brow unfurrows. His eyes obscured, he straightens and color begins to return to his cheeks.

Masks are comfortable. Babs knows that more than anyone.

She smiles at Dick and he manages a weak smile back. Later on when the rest of the team comes to report in they won’t mention this happening. M’gann may comment on the lack of newspaper being odd but Babs will deflect it by claiming to have gotten frustrated with the crosswords and Dick will join in the story by apologizing for not saving the rest of the paper from Babs fit.

Neither of them will mention Dick hunched over the couch or the article. Later on tonight when the two are alone, on their way back to Gotham, Babs will take Dick’s hands and squeeze them tightly as they walk the dark streets of their city. She will murmur something into Dick’s ear and he will hug her tightly, not caring who sees. They will walk back to his apartment and they will sit together on Dick’s couch and talk in low voices about it and Dick will give Babs a tired smile and she will smile back, quiet and reassuring.

It won’t make everything right-but it helps. And in that moment, on that day off, that’s all that really matters.


End file.
